1. Field of the Application
The present invention related to foundry and, more specifically, to machines for producing reinforced cast pieces on a rope which are to be spaced from one another at a desired distance along the rope.
The machine according to the present invention is suitable for use in the production of disc-type cast pieces carried on the ropes used as a tractive member in conveyors intended to feed forage at poultry-and-hog-breeding farms, and also feed other bulk materials in various branches of industry.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Machines for producing reinforced cast pieces on ropes are widely known. These pieces, made in the form of discs, are spaced from one another at a desired distance along the length of the rope. In the production of such tractive means, the rope is previously reinforced with metallic wire, pins, or rings on special reinforcing machines. Thereafter, the reinforced rope is transferred to a machine for producing cast pieces.
Such a machine has a bed mounting two half-moulds kinematically connected with a mechanism designed for moving the half-moulds so as to close or open them. Each half-mould is provided with two aligned grooves which form, while the half-moulds are closed, two holes for receiving the rope. A device for pouring a material to form cast pieces is disposed on the bed over the half-moulds. Also located on the bed as a device for moving the rope.
From the foregoing it follows that the process for producing a rope with discs requires various types of production equipment, that is, machines for reinforcing the rope and machines for casting discs. Hence, the need arises for a considerable floor space, and the production rates are relatively low. Moreover, the reinforcement of ropes with rings results in reduced fatigue strength of the rope because at the locations of reinforcement the rope strands are compressed. Where the rope is reinforced with pins, the shearing force arising in the operation of the rope deforms the discs along the line of action of the force with the result that the engagement of discs with the driving sprocket of the rope drive mechanism is impaired.
All these shortcomings of a rope with cast pieces produced by the above-mentioned method tend to decrease the service life of the rope.
An object of the present invention is to provide a machine having means for reinforcing a rope with its own strands.
Another object of the present invention is to reduce the shop floor space needed for the location of the equipment used for the production of ropes provided with cast pieces.
One more object of the invention is to increase productivity of making ropes with cast pieces.
Still another object of the invention is to extend the service life of a rope furnished with cast pieces.
A further object of the invention is to reduce metal content in the cast pieces.
These and other objects are accomplished by providing a machine for producing reinforced cast pieces on a rope, which are to be spaced apart a desired distance along the rope, whose bed mounts half-moulds having two aligned holes for receiving the rope, a mechanism for closing and opening said half-moulds, a device for pouring a material to form the cast pieces into the half-moulds, and a device for moving the rope step-by-step, which machine, according to the invention, is provided with a device for fluffing the rope so as to reinforce the cast pieces, said device being mounted on the bed nearby the half-moulds and comprising two members which have grooves forming a hole for receiving and fixing the rope while said members are closed, this hole being in alignment with the holes in the half-moulds, a mechanims for moving said members in the direction of movement of the half-moulds so as to close or open these members, and a mechanism for axially moving these members while they are closed until the portion of the members that faces the half-moulds enters one hole in the half-moulds, this hole being made so as to conform in shape and size to the entering portion of the members, and the other hole in the half-moulds being adapted for fixing the rope in position.
It is advisable that the mechanism for advancing the members in the direction of movement of the half-moulds include two levers each having one arm spring-loaded with relation to the respective member along the direction of swinging, and the lever per se, rigidly secured on a pivot turnable in said respective member, which pivot carries a roller eccentrically mounted thereon and acted upon by the respective half-mould while the latter is moved into the closed position.
Designed in this way, the mechanism is most simple as it allows the driving mechanism for the half-moulds to be used and the synchronism in closing and opening the half-moulds and the members of the fluffing device to be ensured.
It is also advisable that the mechanism for axially moving the parts of the fluffing device include a hinge-jointed parallelogram two joints of which are mounted on said members, and two other joints, on the bed, and also includes a power cylinder whose movable link is connected to one of the arms of the parallelogramm.
Such a mechanism is most simple in construction.
Preferably, the portion of the members that enters the hole in the half-moulds is made in the form of frustum of a cone with the smaller base facing the half-moulds.
This makes for the alignment of the holes and a snug fitting of the members entering portion to the surface of the hole of the half-moulds in the course of casting.
It is desirable that the hole in the members and the hole in the half-moulds distant from the device for fluffing the rope be made with a diameter somewhat smaller than the rope diameter.
In this way the rope can be fixed more readily and reliably in the process of fluffing and casting.
It is advisable that the device for moving the rope step-by-step include guideways for cast pieces, which guideways are mounted on the base, and a slider connected with a movable link of the power cylinder driving the fluffing device so as to be moved in the guideways, the slider carrying rope grippers adapted to be moved thereon transversely in the travelling direction of the slider.
Such construction of the device for moving the rope step-by-step makes it possible to use as a drive the power cylinder of the fluffing device, which simplifies the machine and ensures axial movement of the rope and the members of the fluffing device in synchronism.
The machine according to the invention for producing cast pieces on a rope provides for a higher output and reduces metal content in tractive members of conveyors because the reinforcement of ropes with metallic wire or pins on a separate machine is no longer necessary. In addition, the fatigue strength of ropes with cast pieces made on the machine being proposed and also the shearing strength of the cast pieces become substantially higher than those for the ropes reinforced with rings, pins, or wire.